


The Matron of Hogwarts

by SummerLeighWind



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Broken Bones, Bullying, Canon Compliant, F/M, First Day, Gen, Gender or Sex Swap, Harry Potter Next Generation, Hogwarts Seventh Year, Marauders' Era, Menstruation, Nurses & Nursing, Original Character(s), Teen Pregnancy, Teen Romance, Teenagers, Werewolves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-06
Updated: 2016-05-28
Packaged: 2018-06-06 19:15:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 10
Words: 9,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6766456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SummerLeighWind/pseuds/SummerLeighWind
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Save one life you're a hero, save one hundred lives and you're a nurse." A collection of canon-compliant, related and unrelated moments from Poppy Pomfrey's time as a nurse to the students and professors of Hogwarts.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Who?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Characters: Poppy Pomfrey & Albus Dumbledore

" _Who in Merlin's name would_ want _to be a nurse to whiny brats?_ "

"Who indeed!" Poppy answered in response to the resurgent-memory of her mother's snide question. When her mother had first asked the question, upon learning of Poppy's intentions to apply for the position of Hogwarts's nurse, Poppy answered exactly the same. Though, the first time, she'd answered with righteous anger, a sneer of her own on her lips.

Now, though, she was beginning to wonder if her mother had a point. Poppy had thought being a nurse to the students of Hogwarts would be _easy_. That she would get to sit in her little office, reading romance novels to her heart's content, occasionally leaving it to administer a Pepper-Up for a professor's cold or to fix a student's broken arm after a quidditch game.

So far, in the five months she had been training under Madam Spinnet's tutelage, all her preconceived notions had gone out the window. Almost from the first day of school, students had been coming and going from the Infirmary. For little things like paper cuts (ludicrous, it was simply ludicrous!), test anxiety, the sniffles, to not so little things like sprained ankles caused by tripping on the moving staircases, to burns from potions accidents, to Muggle Mumps, and the list went on. There was rarely a quiet moment in their hall and Poppy almost feared for the end of the year when Madam Spinnet finally retired.

When she did, Poppy would be all alone. She was going to go gray before age thirty! The things her mother would say then… Oh Poppy did not look forward to it _at all_.

Especially if being Hogwarts's lone nurse would be anything like this evening was turning out to be.

Taking in the two to three dozen students milling around the infirmary, Poppy thought once more, ' _Who indeed! Who would want to be a nurse to these brats?_ ' Some glanced her way as she brushed past them. A couple of the older ones frowned at her. Obviously they were quite displeased at her response time to their injuries. It wasn't fair. Poppy was trying to do her best! It wasn't her fault they all had injuries ranging from minor abrasions to second degree burns. No, the fault lay on Silvanus Kettleburn's shoulders. Poppy gripped her wand tighter as she wondered just how did she begin to treat them all? Who did she start with? Madam Spinnet would have known in an instant.

' _You're not her, though_ ,' Poppy reminded herself. She hardly had even an ounce of the experience her superior did. It was why she'd been given the job of treating students rather than helping poor, disfigured Herbert. The students were easy fixes. If only she could figure out the best way to fix them all! Poppy gnawed on her lip for a short while, thinking deeply about the best way to go about treating the students. Perhaps this would all be a little easier if she managed to create some order.

She nodded to herself. ' _Yes, that's an ace idea,_ ' Poppy told herself. Surely even Madam Spinnet would agree if Poppy were to run her plan by her. Feeling much more confident than just a moment before, Poppy threw back her shoulders. "Please line up! Would all students please make two single lines in front of the beds?"

They ignored her in favor of chatting and whinging to one another about the severity of the burns they had received from the fire. Feeling her face heat up in embarrassment, Poppy wondered if she hadn't just made a fool of herself. Would Madam Spinnet have shouted like that? Maybe. The children would have heeded her order if she had, anyway. Glancing toward the corner where she knew said woman to be, Poppy was made to sigh when she saw she was still entirely engrossed in trying to fix Herbert's head. There was no way she could assist Poppy right now with the students.

Damn that Silvanus Kettleburn.

Clearing her throat, she bellowed in what she hoped was a far more threatening manner, "Alright you lot! I want two lines this instant! Hufflepuff and Gryffindor on the right and Slytherins and Ravenclaws on the left!"

A few took notice and tried to do as she commanded, but gave up when others, again, ignored her. Hands beginning to tremble in fury at yet another failure to control her domain, Poppy let her gaze sweep over the students and professors milling around. Where was that idiot Silvanus Kettleburn anyway? This was _his_ fault. If he hadn't given the students in the play that Engorged Ashwinder to use, she wouldn't have to deal with this bedlam!

When she found him, Poppy was going to hex him six ways to Sunday (her Healer's Oath be damned).

"Perhaps you should consider taking house points from students who don't comply."

Jumping, Poppy twirled around only to place a hand to her heart. "Albus!" she exclaimed. "You shouldn't sneak up on someone like that!"

The man gave her a less than contrite smile. "Quite sorry, dear."

Poppy nodded. Looking once more over the students, she asked, "How in Merlin's name would I even take points away? I can't even tell how many students of each house are in here!"

Albus hummed thoughtfully. "From the houses as a whole? One hundred from each for noncompliance to your request should do the trick."

She sighed heavily. What did she have to lose? Very little at this point. Cupping her hands to her mouth, she hollered, "This is the last time I'll ask you all to line up! Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs on the right and Ravenclaws and Slytherins on the left! Failure to do so will cause _all_ four houses to lose a hundred points each!"

Over a dozen eyes looked in her direction. Poppy made sure to narrow her own in response. Older students began to prod younger ones in the direction they needed to go and a little less than three minutes later, there were two lines on either side of the rows of beds.

Triumph swelled in Poppy's breast.

From her corner, Madam Spinnet sent Poppy a quick smile before returning to work. Feeling her lips twitch with an elated smile, Poppy turned to face Albus once again. "Thank you," she said.

He winked. "It was all you, my dear."

Chuckling silently, Poppy nodded and turned back to the students. "Okay! I'm going to inspect you lot all individually and then organize you into groups depending on the severity of your injuries! I expect you to stay in those groups once you're assigned. Failure to do so will cause your house to not only lose points, but slow down the rate at which all of you get to leave the infirmary this evening!" Taking a step toward the Slytherin/Ravenclaw line, Poppy added, "You are welcome to chat amongst yourselves, but do keep it down please."

Relaxing, the children began to talk to one another once more. Smiling at her first patient, an older Ravenclaw student, Poppy asked, "Where are you hurt?"

The Ravenclaw offered their arm. "I tripped on my way out, my wrist is swollen now."

"Oh dear," Poppy clucked. "To the back of the infirmary of you, please. By my office."

They nodded. "Yes, Ma'am."

Moving on to the next, (another Ravenclaw) as Poppy asked what was hurting them, she recalled her mother's question once more.

 _"_ _Who in Merlin's name would_ want _to be a nurse to sniveling brats?"_

"Me," she whispered. "I want to be a nurse to a school of whinging brats."

Maybe it was overwhelming sometimes. Maybe she wouldn't always know exactly what to do, but as she had proved to herself today, she could handle it. Someday, she might even thrive in chaos like this.


	2. When Aunt Flo Comes to Town

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Characters: Poppy Pomfrey, Druella Rosier, & Original Female Character (Irene Benjamin)

* * *

Upon hearing the doors to her infirmary swing open, Poppy looked up from her task of re-making the hospital beds. Just past the threshold stood two young Slytherins. The smaller one, first year Irene Benjamin, was a familiar face. In her four months at Hogwarts so far, she'd visited Poppy on numerous occasions after accidents in her Flying, Potions, and Herbology classes. Honestly, what was wrong with the girl? Her sister and brother combined had not reached even a dozen visits between them in the six and seven years they had been under her care. Letting the pristine sheets fall from her fingers, it was on the tip of Poppy's tongue to ask what Miss Benjamin had done to herself _now_ when she saw the familiar trails of tears were not on her face, but the other girl's.

' _Oh dear, what's wrong with her?_ ' Poppy wondered as she hurried toward them to begin a more scrutinizing inspection. When she could find nothing visibly wrong with the crying girl, she asked, "What's wrong ladies?"

Irene, averting her eyes, whispered, "Rosier was bleeding."

Poppy blinked. "Ah," she murmured in befuddlement. "From where?"

Face going bright pink, Miss Benjamin gave an unhappy sigh. "From down _there_ ," she answered, gesturing in a sweeping motion to the region below her stomach.

Poppy nodded, everything finally clicking into place. "I see," she said, her earlier worry dissipating almost entirely. Though, more confusion was beginning to take its place. If it was just Miss Rosier's monthlies, why were they both here? And what of the tears on Miss Rosier's face? Were her cramps unusually painful this month? "Why have you two come here? Does Miss Rosier need something to alleviate the pain?" she asked as she looked back toward her office where she kept Pain Reliever potions. If that didn't stop her tears, Poppy would have to start asking some rather uncomfortable questions.

Miss Benjamin shrugged. "She might," she said. "But that's not the problem. Erm, I don't think anyone's ever explained to Rosier about–"

"Benjamin said I wasn't dying, is she right?" Miss Rosier interrupted, a half-wild look of terror in her eyes.

 _Oh_. That was the reason for the tears, was it? Internally cursing the girl's parents for willfully leaving her in the darkness about the natural progression of female development, Poppy began to shepherd the girls toward an open bed away from the few being used across the aisle. Tugging a curtain around them closed for privacy, she had Miss Rosier take a seat. "Yes," she said, "Miss Benjamin is correct. You're far from dying Miss Rosier."

Nodding at Miss Benjamin, she let the younger girl slip out as she took a seat beside Miss Rosier and conjured a book of anatomical diagrams. Opening it up to a familiar page, Poppy began, "You see, Miss Rosier, when you become a _woman…_ "

-v-v-v-

Just as the silence drawing on between them was about to become worrisome, the girl beside Poppy lifted her wan face to meet's Poppy's steady gaze. "This is going to happen _every_ month?" Miss Rosier whispered.

Poppy brushed a sympathetic hand through the girl's dark locks. Growing up could be so hard. "Yes," she answered.

Turning her head, Miss Rosier dropped her gaze back to the book laid out in her lap. Absently, she traced the shape of the human uterus on the page. "That's disgusting. Is there a way to make it stop?"

"No, not really. It will on its own someday, though."

Perking right up, Miss Rosier asked, "Oh? How long will I have to wait?"

She was going to be sorely disappointed by her answer, Poppy realized. This was something to keep in mind for the next time she was made to explain menstruation to a student. Pussyfooting around about when menstruation ended would only deepen their unhappiness. Standing up, Poppy gave the girl's shoulder a comforting squeeze. "Unfortunately, it will be quite a while. If you are fortunate, it will be in no more than four decades. Though, I've heard of some women having their monthlies well into their seventies."

"That's - That's -" she sputtered in dismay.

Giving the girl a sympathetic smile, Poppy said, "I know it's far from fair, but it is what is. Why don't you come with me so I can give you supplies for your monthlies?"

Her shoulders slumped; Miss Rosier slid off the infirmary bed and followed behind Poppy as they headed toward her office.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Want to know more about Irene Benjamin? Check out my HP fanfiction series: "The Inhabitants of Knockturn Alley"


	3. And Then Comes Baby in a Baby Carriage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Characters: Poppy Pomfrey, Druella Rosier, & Cygnus Black III
> 
> Relationships: Druella Rosier/Cygnus Black III

Taking note of the potions she needed more of as she went through her stock, Poppy cursed softly when she realized she was completely out of Dreamless Sleep Draught. Yes, it was one she rarely used with the students, but it didn't mean it was okay to be _completely_ out of it. What if something happened? What then? It would be highly embarrassing for her and unfortunate for the student or professor who needed it. Putting a big circle around it after scribbling it down on her list, Poppy took a step back to straighten out her back.

"Oh," she grunted as it cracked. She wasn't forty yet, but already she was feeling some of the aches of age. She was quite lucky being a nurse to adolescents wasn't a strenuous profession. Minor aches and pains would (hopefully) be all she ever had to deal with. Suddenly, Poppy was pulled from not only her thoughts, but also her task by a familiar student's entrance to her office.

Putting on a smile for the teenager, she said, "Hello there Miss Rosier. What can I help you with today?"

Grim-faced, Miss Rosier asked, "Remember when I was twelve and you had to explain about the… _that_ time of the month?"

Poppy gave a perplexed dip of her chin. "I do," she answered. While Miss Rosier was not the first girl, or the last, she had to explain menstruation to in the past three years, it was not so many that Poppy couldn't recall the names of the ones she had. All in all, she felt it was a strange thing for Miss Rosier to bring up. Unless… Was this her way of alerting Poppy about another girl who needed the talk?

"Oh dear, do I need to talk to someone?"

Miss Rosier's face flashed with something akin to frustration. She shook her head. "No."

"Well, then…?"

"I haven't had one in over two months now and I don't–" the teenager stopped abruptly, looking down to the floor as to hide the tears Poppy had just barely glimpsed. "I'm not dying, am I?""

Poppy clucked her tongue and approached swiftly. She _knew_ she should have explained safe-sex to her! Trusting that a letter to Miss Rosier's mother would prompt the woman to take charge of her daughter's sex education was complete naivety on her part. Poppy would never be making that mistake again – consequences be damned! "No. Miss Rosier are you seeing a boy?"

"Yes, Cygnus Black."

Feeling the urge to sigh overcome her, Poppy pressed her lips tightly together as she took Miss Rosier by the hand and lead her to the armchair she kept in front of her desk. Giving the girl a gentle nudge to take a seat, Poppy went and sat on the other side of her desk. "Have you two had sex?"

Miss Rosier's face flared red. "Are you going to tell my parents?" she asked.

Poppy didn't hold back her sigh this time. "Miss Rosier, if my suspicions prove correct I will have to," she said.

The teenager wrung her hands together. "What are your suspicions, Madam Pomfrey?" she asked.

Leveling Miss Rosier with a lengthy stare, Poppy studied her face. There was quite a bit of fear there, embarrassment to. Poppy considered how to best broach the topic; should she do it indirectly with a soft voice and simple questions that would let Miss Rosier realize herself what it was that Poppy feared? Or should she just tell the girl outright what she thought the issue was?

If Miss Rosier _was_ in the trouble that Poppy suspected, it was likely best she broke it to her now. That way, if it was confirmed, when her parents came for her she'd have her bearings together a little more than she would otherwise.

"I'm inclined to believe, if you and Mister Black have had sex, and you've missed more than one period, that you are pregnant."

Hands flying to her mouth, Miss Rosier exclaimed, "No! I can't! Cygnus always pulls out before–"

Poppy shook her head. "Pulling out isn't enough to prevent pregnancy," she said.

Shaking in her seat, Miss Rosier whimpered, "My parents are going to _murder_ me!"

Poppy closed her eyes for a moment to collect her thoughts. It was at times like these she wished the School Board would pass her proposal for a yearly seminar on puberty and sex for the students. It would, without a doubt, cut down on instances like these. It was more the pity that the ones who blocked her proposal were the same people who sent their children to Hogwarts clueless of the physical changes that they would go through in their final leg toward adulthood. They were also the same parents who never said a word about sex, which left their children to learn about it from friends and schoolmates who would misinform them on how to have sex safely.

It was thanks to those same parents that their sons and daughters ended up in the very situation Miss Rosier now found herself in. They were also the ones who would blame Miss Rosier for becoming pregnant and that, above all else, was what infuriated Poppy the most. If they would just _let_ her teach the children about sex, she could (maybe) once and for all debunk things like the pull out method and prevent unwanted pregnancies.

Now, though, was not the time to be angry. Miss Rosier needed her. Standing up, Poppy walked around her desk to embrace the teenager. "Shh… Everything will turn out fine, you'll see Miss Rosier."

Voice muffled by Poppy's shoulder, Miss Rosier asked, "How do we find out if I'm really pregnant or not?"

"A potion. You let several drops of blood fall into it and then it will change to either blue for pregnant or yellow for not pregnant," Poppy explained, already reaching for her wand so she could summon the potion to them.

When the girl stepped back, Poppy brought out the potion. Pouring it into a bowl she also summoned, Poppy set it on her desk and then reached out for Miss Rosier's hand. The girl gave it. Pricking Miss Rosier's finger, Poppy let it bleed over the potion for a moment. After the liquid began to swirl, Poppy took her handkerchief from her apron pocket and wrapped it around the teenager's finger.

"Keep applying the pressure," she told Miss Rosier as she watched the potion begin to take its final hue. Miss Rosier gave a small sob when it settled on blue. Sighing, Poppy vanished the potion and said, "I'm sorry Miss Rosier. I know this must be a shock for you."

Dabbing at her eyes with the sleeve of her robes, Miss Rosier asked, "Before you call my parents, can I… Can I go talk to Cygnus? Let him know?"

Poppy frowned. She wondered if this was a ploy. Once she'd let another girl leave her infirmary after finding out she was pregnant to tell the father. Instead of telling him, she'd gone to the library, found what plants would induce a miscarriage and then gone to raid Horace's potions stock for one of them. The resulting mess was something Poppy did not want to repeat.

"Please Madam Pomfrey? I promise I'll be back within the hour."

Poppy stared into the teenager's desperate eyes for almost a full minute before relenting with a little wave of her hand. "I'll be timing you. If you're not back, I will inform the other professors to find you for me _and_ tell your mother and father about your pregnancy without you present."

Miss Rosier smiled. "I promise I'll be back in time. Thank you, Madam Pomfrey! You don't know how much this means to me." Canting forward, the girl wrapped her arms around Poppy's middle in a quick embrace before turning heel and hurrying out of Poppy's office.

Falling back against her desk, Poppy whispered, "Please let this not be a mistake."

-v-v-v-

Watching the clock, Poppy felt her stomach begin to knot as it entered the last five minutes Miss Rosier had to return before Hogwarts professors were sent to find her. Crossing her arms, Poppy grumbled to herself, "I should never have let her go."

It had been one thing, with that other girl. Poppy had only just started her training then. While it had been stupid of her, letting a girl leave the infirmary in a state like that, it had been forgiven because Poppy was new and young herself. Poppy wasn't that twenty-six-year-old girl anymore, though. She was going to get in trouble for this if it turned pear-shape.

Getting up, she was just about to Floo call the headmaster when her office door swung open.

"I'm sorry, we're not late, are we?" Miss Rosier asked as she burst in.

Poppy glanced to the clock. "No," she said.

She smiled and looked behind her, "Thank Merlin!" she exclaimed.

Craning her neck, Poppy was surprised to see the girl had brought her boyfriend with her. "What is Mister Black doing here?" she asked.

The boy stepped forward. "I want to be here when Druella's parent's come." Glancing back at Miss Rosier, his eyes gentled as he reached for her hand. "No child of Black will be born a bastard if I have any say; and I wish to express this to Mister and Missis Rosier."

Miss Rosier beamed.

Poppy gave her own small smile and thanked whatever fates had played part in convincing this teenage boy to take responsibility for the life of his unborn child. Then she prayed to the same fates that he would not shirk on them once the weight of it settled fully on his shoulders.

"If you insist." Turning back to the fireplace, Poppy made a call to the Headmaster and alerted him to the situation. Gesturing for the teenagers to approach, she said, "We will have the meeting with your parents in the Headmaster's office, Miss Rosier. There will be much more to discuss than just the baby once your parents are told. A child has a way of altering how one's education path."

"I understand," she replied while giving Mister Black moon-eyes.

Returning her affectionate gaze with a smile, Mister Black said, "I'll take care of you and our child no matter what you choose to do."

"I love you," Miss Rosier whispered, leaning for a kiss.

Realizing the two were falling into a world all their own, Poppy cleared her throat and gestured for them to exit her office. "Come Mister Black, Miss Rosier, we mustn't dawdle. The headmaster and Mister and Missis Rosier are likely waiting for us."

"Yes, Madam Pomfrey," the pair said in tandem.

Rolling her eyes, she followed the teenagers out.

They would be Poppy's happiest unplanned pregnancy story. She would recall it at later dates with a fervent need when other young girls stories did not play out the same and she needed to be reminded that not every unplanned pregnancy lead to unhappiness and tragedy.


	4. Nerves

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Characters: Poppy Pomfrey & Filius Flitwick

As Poppy when through her list new of Half-blood students, she cross-checked their medical records with their names to see if they were up-to-date with their magical Vaccinations. When she hit her fifth student who wasn't properly vaccinated she grumbled, "One would think mothers or fathers could find _some_ time between receiving their child's Hogwarts letter and sending them off to school to get them up-to-date on their vaccinations!"

Poppy wondered if she shouldn't mention it to the Headmaster. Perhaps he could have an advisory note attached to the children's school-letters for their parents? It was one thing with Muggleborns, they and their families knew nigh nothing about that magical world, but the Half-bloods! They had mothers or fathers who were more than aware of the shots and potions children were given to protect them from magical maladies. Honestly, Poppy didn't _mind_ giving the vaccinations, but sometimes they just weren't enough. It wasn't uncommon for Half-bloods and Muggleborns alike to catch something between their visits to Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley for supplies, the stations, and the train to Hogwarts.

Once they were sick, they were stuck in her hall and not in their classes. Everyone knew the first several classes were of utmost importance for students to not only learn about the subjects they would need to know for their futures in the Magical World, but to make friends with their housemates and classmates. Poppy wanted to give all the children the same advantage and if that meant she had to chide parents into vaccinating their children themselves, she would make it happen. Reaching for parchment, she began to sketch a message for parents. However, before she could finish it a soft knock from her doorway drew her attention away from her parchment.

She smiled. "Why Hello Filius, what's brought you by?" Poppy asked upon spying the new professor.

He ducked his head bashfully. "I was wondering if you might be able to give me a bottle of calming draught, actually. I'm a little… _Unsure_ of how my first class may go and think it may help sooth my nerves."

Poppy put down her quill and said, "I could. Or perhaps we could just talk about what's making you nervous? Talking can be just as effective, you know."

Filius fidgeted with his wand. Finally, with a belly-deep sigh, he moved forward and pulled himself onto the chair in front of Poppy's desk. Staring straight at her, he said, "It's not just the class itself I'm nervous about."

"Oh?" Poppy replied.

"Teenagers, as a whole, are… They aren't kind. I'm sure you know that, though. You've been a nurse here nearly longer than I've been alive. I had my problems growing up, just as all do, but what I'm worried about now is that they will repeat themselves."

Poppy nodded. She needed no more elaboration. Poppy knew exactly what her new colleague was fearing and was sure she could offer him useful advice. "I remember your time as a student and the… _incidents_ that arose from your smaller stature. I know you found a way to cope then and I'm sure you'll find some of those same tactics will work on the students now. Though, in regards to teaching, there are two methods I might suggest you try to deal with any problems that may arise while in your classroom."

He perked up, a look of relief softening the lines in his forehead. "Go on."

"You can laugh off what they say, show your students that you have no problem with what it is you lack and do your best to keep your class on track with your plans. Or if you do not like that idea, you could be strict. Take points away. Threaten them with detentions and other things until they learn not to mention it."

Filius nodded slowly. Crossing his arms, he looked away for a few minutes. "I don't really fancy being strict with them. I want them to enjoy my class, not dread it."

Poppy smiled. "That's an admirable thing to want," she said. "You know, you wouldn't have to _start_ strict with students. You could try the first method and if it fails to give you the results you want or need… Well, the option to be sharp with them will be there."

"Hm," he hummed. "That could work."

She folded her hands together on desk and said, "I'm happy that I could help."

Filius stood up on his chair and offered his hand. "Thank you, Mada – _Poppy_."

"You're welcome," Poppy replied as she shook her colleagues hand. "If you like, I could still give you a small vial of Calming Draught." She winked. "Just in case."

The new professor shook his head. "No, I'll be fine. You were right, talking it out has helped me considerably."

Watching him hop down from the chair she told him, "You'll tell me at dinner how your day went, won't you Filius?"

"Oh yes," he agreed with a wide smile. With a short wave, he was off.

Alone once more, Poppy gave a small, happy sigh. Sometimes, she just loved her job.


	5. The Boy Who Was the Wolf

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Characters: Poppy Pomfrey & Remus Lupin

Poppy smiled comfortingly at her patient before she sat down beside him. Uncapping the tin of Bruise Salve she'd brought out after seeing the purple and blue blooms all across his skin, she considered where to begin. Eying her patient critically, she made the decision to start with the ones in reach. A bruise that peeked out just beneath the hem of his pant-leg would be dealt with first. After coating her fingers in the salve Poppy reached out for his ankle. The moment her fingers touched him, he shrank back. She looked up.

His green eyes contrite, he whispered, "Sorry, I just… Usually Mum has me patch myself up."

Poppy couldn't say she was surprised. Not really, anyway. One of the boys in Poppy's year had a sister who was bitten by a werewolf shortly after she graduated from Hogwarts. Her name never left his lips again after it was discovered. For all intents and purposes, it was as if the poor woman had never been his sister (or existed). The fact Mister Lupin's parents hadn't abandoned him the moment he was bitten was more than admirable.

Begrudging them for not being able to touch their son after his transformations seemed far too hard-hearted a thing to do to people who defied the norm and kept their infected child.

"I see," Poppy said. "If you like, you may do it yourself."

He relaxed and gave a timid smile.

Poppy was beginning to see why Albus had let this boy into Hogwarts. A werewolf he may be, but he was not sharp or jagged. No, he was softer than even his contemporaries who had faced no great trials in their young lives. Mister Lupin would do Hogwarts proud. Smiling back at him, she pulled a handkerchief from the pocket of her apron and wiped the balm off her fingers. Pushing the tin of Bruise Salve toward Mister Lupin, she said, "There you are."

Taking it with eager fingers, he sat up a little straighter to give himself better access to his leg. He winced. Poppy felt her smile wilt. Oh this poor boy. He was putting himself through more pain than he needed to…

"Mister Lupin," Poppy called softly.

The boy looked up from rubbing the salve into his bruises.

Gently laying her own hand upon his (despite the way she knew it would cause him to flinch) Poppy told him, "There is no shame in letting others help you now and again. Especially if it will save you some pain."

Face going pink he dropped his gaze to his lap. "I'd hate to be a burden."

"You, darling boy, wouldn't be a burden. Taking care of you is my job."

He frowned. Studying her with eerily perceptive eyes, he asked, "Even someone like me? A–" He paused, casting a sweeping look over the nearly empty infirmary before whispering, "– _werewolf_?"

Poppy tensed, but managed to hold back the urge to frown. Yes, when she heard of Albus's intentions to let a werewolf into Hogwarts's halls she had been less than pleased. Werewolves were dangerous. They killed people. Even with the precautions Albus put in place Poppy feared the worst. All it would take was for one student to stumble upon Mister Lupin's containment unit and they would have a tragedy on their hands.

But that was the only reason she feared Mister Lupin.

Lycanthropy was a curse. The only difference between it and so many others was that there was no reversal. One night a month, Mister Lupin was a monster and not the timid thing that was before her now. To Poppy, to treat him like that monster the rest of the month seemed absolutely absurd. Right now, he was _not_ that monster. To not treat him the same as all her patients because of it went against her personal code of ethics.

(All deserved equal care, even little brats and arsehole professors).

"Yes, Mister Lupin," Poppy said. "What you are one night a month does not change anything for me."

His fine brows curved in surprise. "I – _really_?"

Poppy nodded and gave the hand she covered a squeeze.

Mister Lupin beamed.

Poppy's heart fluttered like a caged snitch and she just _knew_ he was going to be one of her favorites, even long after he graduated from Hogwarts.

* * *


	6. The Price of Beauty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Characters: Poppy Pomfrey & Original Female Character (Miss White)

"I don't know what happened!" the girl wailed into her lilac-purple hands.

Unamused, Poppy ran a simple diagnostic spell over her patient and rolled her eyes at the findings. The girl had to be fibbing. A _potion_ was responsible for this mess. "Miss White, are you _sure_? Because if I don't know what potion you took, we'll just have to wait for this to wear off on its own."

The girl looked up with panic filled eyes. "Wear _off_? I don't have time for that! I have a date with Matt Fletcher on Saturday!"

"Then what did you take?" Poppy asked once more. She was sure this wasn't a prank (she had not turned purple in a public place, such as the Great Hall) or the act of a malicious housemate (Miss White was well liked by her peers).

Gnawing at her lip, Miss White said, "I… I don't know. I just bought it off someone. They said it would streak my hair purple, not make _all_ of me lilac."

Poppy rubbed her forehead to stem the growing headache. Now the question became was the potion Miss White took of poor or experimental quality? Or did she not follow the directions given to her by her provider?

"Who was this _someone_ you bought it from?"

Miss White dropped her gaze to her lap.

Sighing loudly, Poppy said, "I need to know. There are several potions that could have done this and if I don't know which one, we'll be here all of tonight and tomorrow trying to correct this. You'll miss your date."

"Will they be in trouble?" the girl asked, wringing her hands.

Poppy shook her head. "No. Not unless they did this to you on purpose."

"Gertrude wouldn't have done that!" Miss White squawked. "She's too nice!"

"Gertrude, hm? Do you mean Gertrude _Glove_?" Poppy demanded.

The girl's eyes went large. Miss Glove had a reputation for selling experimental potions she had created herself and had been warned off doing so several times in the past after incidents like these. Poppy was going to have to talk to Pomona about the girl, Miss Glove couldn't keep doing things like this. Perhaps a month's worth of detention would teach her a lesson (or keep her too busy to experiment)?

Face turning indigo, Miss White mumbled, "Y-Yes…"

"I'll send someone to retrieve her," Poppy said. Then, giving the girl's hand a pat, she told her, "Cheer up, now. After a little chat with Miss Glove we'll have you right as rain in time for your date with Mister Fletcher!"


	7. What the Snake Said to the Lion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Characters: Poppy Pomfrey, Percy Weasley, Oliver Wood, Marcus Flint, and Original Characters

"Wait until we get out of here, Flint! I'll make you sorry!"

Poppy poked her head out from the privacy curtain surrounding her and one of her patients. By the doorway, she saw two Hufflepuff prefects. They were each holding onto a younger student and a third one was hovering just behind them.

Turning back to her patient, she said, "Do you mind, dear?"

The girl sitting on the bed shook her head. "The burns aren't bothering me too bad yet. I can wait a few minutes for you to reapply the salve to my back."

Poppy smiled. "Thank you." Slipping out from behind the privacy curtain, she approached the small group swiftly. Keeping her expression stern, she demanded, "What is going on here?"

One of the prefects, still struggling to maintain a hold on the boy who'd been threatening the other one in the opposite prefect's hold, said, "They were – stop squirming, Wood! They were fighting outside the Great Hall. Flint's got boils on his hands and arms and Wood here, well, I think he's fine. But I thought you might want to check him out anyway."

Poppy nodded. "And what of him?" she asked, jerking her head in the direction of the third boy. Poppy already had her suspicions, given the way he was holding his arm, but thought it best to ask.

The prefect holding Mister Flint said, "His arm. It's hurting him."

She gestured for the third boy to approach. He kept his eyes lowered meekly as he shuffled to her. Lifting his chin once he was in arm's reach, Poppy recognized the tell-tale Weasley features. He had to be the latest of the Weasleys to come to Hogwarts. Now, what was his name…

"Percy Weasley, correct?" she asked after a moment.

"Yes, Ma'am," he answered.

"How badly is your arm hurting you?" Poppy asked as she gingerly took hold of it.

Mister Weasley hissed and tried to pull away at her light touches. "I felt it snap when I fell," he explained.

"He never fell! Flint used a knockback jinx on him from behind!" Mister Wood howled from his spot.

Poppy leveled the boy with a glare. "If you don't calm down Mister Wood, I will stick you to a chair, put a silencing spell on you, and leave you in my office until dinner."

The boy scowled and crossed his arms. She gestured for the prefects to release Mister Wood and Mister Flint. Pointing then at beds on either side of the aisle that ran down her hall, she said, "Both of you sit tight until I have Mister Weasley fixed up. If you start anything, you'll be coming back here after dinner to scrub my floors until they shine."

"I'm hurt too!" Mister Flint whined.

Not looking in his direction, Poppy recited one of her personal mantras at him, "Broken bones before boils, Mister Flint."

He grumbled about her being a traitor to their house beneath his breath. Poppy wanted to roll her eyes. When you were a nurse, the house you were a part of as a student didn't matter anymore. The well-beings of _all_ students did. Briefly, she considered taking points from Mister Flint. In the end, she decided not to. Undoubtedly the prefects had already taken more than enough from him for fighting with Mister Wood and Mister Weasley. Looking to said prefects, Poppy said, "Ten points to Hufflepuff for your good work. Thank you for bringing them, you may leave."

The pair smiled. "Thank you, Madam Pomfrey!"

Nodding, Poppy watched them as they slipped out. "Mister Weasley, it appears you've broken your wrist," she said after a few moments of examining his arm.

"You aren't going to give me Skele-Gro, are you?" he asked, sounding truly dismayed at the idea. "That stuff is disgusting."

Poppy shook her head. "It's not a bad break. Not much worse than a hairline fracture, I'd say. An Episkey should do the trick."

He smiled. Poppy returned it with one of her own. Having him take a seat on the nearest bed, Poppy cast the spell. After having Mister Weasley wriggle his fingers and twist his arm, she looked toward Mister Wood and Mister Flint. The two boys were locked in a glaring-contest. " _Muffliato_ ," she muttered.

"Mister Weasley frowned. "Ma'am?"

"I just wanted to give you some private advice," Poppy said. "If another student is giving you trouble, never turn your back on them. Mister Wood will not always be there to jump into the fray when you're down."

The boy's brows furrowed in befuddlement. "The prefects told me to talk to a professor if Flint bothered me again."

"And that's exactly what the staff advises the prefects to tell you. As for myself, I realize that you children won't often go to a professor."

Mister Weasley flushed and looked to his lap. Poppy gave his knee a gentle pat. She didn't blame him (or any student) for not heeding prefects advise. It was just the way of teenagers. They thought (sometimes wrongly) that they could handle all of their problems on their own.

"I don't know why Flint has it out for me," Mister Weasley admitted. "I haven't… Well, the only time I've sort of spoken to him is just when I corrected what he said in Transfiguration last week."

Poppy sighed. Children could be so petty. "That could have done it," she told Mister Weasley.

He nodded. "I'll watch out," he said.

Poppy took a step back and cancelled her charm. "Good boy," Poppy praised. "Now, you get on. Classes don't wait for students."

Hopping off the bed, Mister Weasley called out, "I'll see you in Herbology, Oliver."

Mister Wood grunted, still staring down Mister Flint. Rolling her eyes, Poppy nudged Mister Weasley toward the door before bustling over to Mister Flint. Sitting down beside him, she said, "Knock that off now. Let me see your arm, Mister Flint."

Grumbling insults under his breath, the boy thrust his arm at Poppy. Pressing her lips thin in displeasure, Poppy rolled up Mister Flint's sleeve none-too-gently and began her inspection of his boils.


	8. Manly Girl

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Characters: Poppy Pomfrey and Draco Malfoy

A scream startled Poppy from her task of cleaning the infirmary's window. When the rag she'd been using to clean fell to the ground with a splat, Poppy didn't even bother to put it back in its bucket before turning around. Across the room Mister Malfoy sat upright in his bed, a hand gripping one of the new additions to his chest. Walking over to him, she cleared her throat to draw his attention.

He ripped his gaze away from his new breasts to stare at her with a bewildered expression.

Sitting down on the bed across from him, Poppy asked, "Mister Malfoy, how are you feeling?"

Anger bled across his features. "Mister? _Mister_! Misters don't have _tits_!" he spat.

Poppy sighed. "Do you remember what you were doing before you woke up here?"

"I remember perfectly well! I was–" he stopped abruptly, mouth clamping closed with an audible click.

"Come now, Mister Malfoy," she chided. "Your friends and Miss Granger's did tell me what you were up to when they brought you to me."

"Then I don't need to say anything, do I?"

Rolling her eyes since he was not looking at her, Poppy said, "Mister Malfoy, what do you know about the spell you cast?"

"It turns the person you use it on into the opposite sex," he answered. Flushing a little, he mumbled, "Well, that's what I _remember_ the book saying…"

' _Of_ _course_ ,' Poppy thought. She wondered when children would realize casting half-remembered spells (and ones they did not understand) was a bad idea. ' _Probably never,_ ' she internally bemoaned. Taking a deep breath, Poppy said, "Unfortunately for you, Mister Malfoy, that's not quite the case. The spell switches the gender of the caster and castee. If you had successfully hit Mister Potter, nothing would have happened. Seeing as Miss Granger stepped in the middle of the spell, however, it _did_."

"Now what?" Mister Malfoy asked.

Hesitantly, Poppy told him, "We wait."

"Wait for _what_?"

Poppy ran a hand down her face, thinking about how best to break the news to a surly boy like Mister Malfoy. "Mister Malfoy, I don't know how much you remember about the spell you read, but it was invented by a disgruntled wife. She wanted her husband to understand what it was like to be a woman in all the important ways." Eying him, she said, "Including the monthlies."

Mister Malfoy tensed, eyes going wide. "No," he whispered. "No."

"I'm sorry Mister Malfoy, but you will be a young lady until you've gone through a complete menstrual cycle."

Expression aghast, the young man – now young woman – shouted, "There has to be _something_ you can do!"

Poppy shook her head sadly as she reached for the clothes she resized earlier to fit Mister Malfoy's smaller, curvy frame. "There is nothing that I can do for you now Mister Malfoy," she told him. "Let this be a lesson to you about casting half-remembered spells."

Mister Malfoy glared at her for a long minute before taking his newly resized sweater from the pile and inspecting it. "Thanks for nothing," he snapped.

Poppy did not like to take points from students on principal (rewarding good behavior went so much farther), but the blatant disrespect Mister Malfoy was showing her left Poppy with no choice. "Ten points from Slytherin," she said. "I will not be spoken to with disrespect."

A mulishness came to Mister Malfoy's new, pretty features. Poppy was prepared to take more points, but he seemed to think better of arguing and instead just scowled. "May I go get dressed now?" he demanded.

Sighing, Poppy waved a hand to indicate he could go. "You're welcome to leave after you're done. Though, if you have any questions, I'll be here – now or later."

Mister Malfoy's face went bright pink. "I'll be fine," he said as he passed, trying and failing to sneer at her.

Shaking her head as the doors to the infirmary's loo slammed closed behind him, Poppy turned her head to stare at the other victim of Mister Malfoy's ill-chosen spell. At least (Poppy hoped) Miss Granger would be easier to deal with.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you'd like to see Hermione's reaction to the transformation, check out chapter eight, "Girly Boy" in another of my fics, "Mishaps Through the Ages".


	9. A Bottle of Dreamless Sleep to Keep the Monsters at Bay

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Characters: Poppy Pomfrey & one of the Montgomery Sisters.

Poppy was roused from sleep by the alarm she had made to alert her to students and staff entering her infirmary in the late hours of the night. Hastily throwing on a robe and shoes, she hurried out into the infirmary. There, Poppy found a wan faced student standing in the middle of the grand hall wearing a hunted expression. Slowly, Poppy approached. When she was a couple of feet away from the student, she finally recognized them. The student was one half of the pair of sisters who lost their little brother to a werewolf attack last week.

"What are you doing here, Miss Montgomery?"

The girl began to shake. "I–" Hands flying to her mouth, she hunched forward as she was sick all over her feet and the floor.

"Oh dear," Poppy murmured. She then took Miss Montgomery by her shoulders and maneuvered her away from the mess. Summoning a rubbish bin, Poppy handed it to Miss Montgomery before casting a few cleaning spells on both the floor and the girl. When done, she turned to see Miss Montgomery wiping her mouth with the sleeve of her robe.

At her looking, the girl whispered, "Sorry."

Poppy reached over and gave the girl's arm a squeeze. "It's no trouble, Miss Montgomery."

The girl nodded before she began to look around at the many other students laid up in the infirmary. Before Severus was Headmaster and the Carrows began their reign of terror, her halls were only this full during pandemics and the like. Now, though, students turned up with boils, abrasions, and broken bones nearly daily. Since Poppy rarely had the heart to send them back out to into the horror right away, she kept her patients overnight (and longer) when she could.

The Carrows had complained about her "coddling" the students and the like, but she had yet to be told to stop. It might be delusional of Poppy, but she liked to think it was because of Severus. As Headmaster, he was the one staff were supposed to see with their complaints and the one who acted upon them when they were deemed valid. Given that he hadn't said anything about her hoarding the students away in her hall, surely it meant he approved. ' _Or that he doesn't care,_ ' another part of her whispered; she pushed that voice away. Severus may be scathing, vindictive, and rub most people the wrong way, but Hogwarts was his home. Just like it was hers and that had to mean _something_ to him.

(Even so, Poppy dared not keep a student for more than two days at a time).

"How long have you been sick, Miss Montgomery?" Poppy asked as the silence stretched on between them.

Her gaze snapped back to Poppy. "I'm not," she said. Appearing queasy once more, she whispered, "It's my nightmares making me sick. Every time I sleep, I dream of worse and worse ways that Gordie could have–"

"Shh, Miss Montgomery," Poppy hushed. "Let me get you some Dreamless Sleep and you can spend the rest of the night here, alright? I'll even sit with you until you fall asleep."

She nodded. Guiding the girl to a free bed, Poppy left her to grab the Dreamless Sleep. When she returned, she uncorked the bottle and said, "One Dreamless Sleep to keep the monsters away."

A smile ghosted across Miss Montgomery's face. "Thanks," she replied. After downing the potion, she handed the bottle back to Poppy and settled herself beneath the infirmary covers. Turning onto her side so she was facing Poppy, she said, "Mum and Dad haven't told us which werewolf attacked Gordie, but we know."

"Oh?"

Miss Montgomery stifled a yawn before murmuring, "The Carrows taunted us with it."

Poppy's heart hurt in sympathy. "I'm sorry," she said.

"It's okay, really," the girl insisted. "Now that I know Fenrir Greyback did it, I can avenge Gordie. Before, I didn't know what I was going to do. It's not like I can go killing all the werewolves out there. Not _all_ of them murdered my little brother, nor would they all have wanted to. It's not right to kill innocents."

Poppy could only stare at the girl as her eyelids began to droop.

"Thanks again," Miss Montgomery said before drifting off into dreamless slumber.

Kneading at her where her heart lay beneath her skin, as if the pain it caused her was truly physical and not emotional, Poppy pleaded to the watching moon outside, "Let someone slay that beast before he kills her."

It was on nights like these that Poppy wished students did not use her as their secret-keeper. It was also on nights like these she wished that she did not feel so bound to keep the things told to her in confidence sealed behind her lips. Yet Poppy would _never_ wish for the students to distrust her and to remain closed lip around her, either. Sometimes, being Hogwarts's nurse created an unsolvable dilemma that Poppy could not figure out even after sixty years of being a healer to adolescents.


	10. Passing the Torch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Characters: Poppy Pomfrey, Hannah Longbottom and Original Female Character (Freesia Parkinson)

Poppy knew this minor flu outbreak was a perfect learning opportunity for Hannah, but it was terribly hard to stand back and let her muddle her way through treating the sick students. It was in Poppy's nature to help, not to turn her back. As she carefully rearranged bottles of Fever Reducer, Sleeping Draught, a pitcher of water and glasses on the tray, Poppy tensed. The argument between Hannah and Miss Freesia Parkinson was picking up in volume.

"Get that out of my face, I don't _want_ it!"

"You'll be stuck here all week if you don't drink this!"

"That's fine by me!"

A few beds down, one of their younger patients tossed in his bed. ' _That's it_ ,' Poppy thought. She could not bear to listen to the two argue any longer. Leaving the tray half-arranged, Poppy turned heel and approached the still squabbling duo. Taking the Fever Reducer she'd told Hannah to give Miss Parkinson out of her hand, Poppy said, "You should never deign to row with students, Missis Longbottom."

The younger woman dropped her gaze. Internally, Poppy sighed. She hadn't meant to sound so sharp with her. Overall, Hannah had been doing well. If Poppy wasn't so worried about needlessly waking the sleeping students, she would have let Hannah figure out how to make Miss Parkinson drink the potion on her own.

' _Oh well, I've put my nose in now, I might as well finish the job,_ ' Poppy told herself.

Turning a mean eye on the girl glowering in the bed, Poppy ordered, "Drink this _now_ , Miss Parkinson."

For a long moment, Miss Parkinson glared back. Then, she opened her mouth. "N–"

"Twenty points from Slytherin for backtalk!" Poppy snapped.

The girl's eyes went large. "You can't do that!" she cried.

Poppy snorted. "Oh? I'm sorry to say, but I _can._ "

Snarling at her, Miss Parkinson snatched the potion from Poppy's hand and downed it. When finished, she smacked her lips and grumbled, "I hope you're happy."

Very much pleased as she took the empty bottle, Poppy nodded. "Fifteen points to Slytherin for following directions."

Miss Parkinson blinked.

Smiling, Poppy took Hannah by the elbow and lead her away from the bed. Handing her another potion to administer to a different student, she remarked, "It's a nifty trick, that one. You usually only have to use it once on a student."

Hannah nodded. "I'm sorry that I was bungling it up with Miss Parkinson," she said. "I've dealt with my fair share of teenagers as the landlady of the Leaky Cauldron, but…"

Poppy gave the younger woman's arm a pat. "Don't worry, dear, it takes time to acclimate to this job." With a little smile, Poppy winked. "That's why I'm here to show you the ropes."

Hannah smiled back, sheepish, but relieved. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Poppy replied. Then giving Hannah a nudge toward her next patient, Poppy said, "Now, go show me what you learned with that one. He's new to our halls, but I remember his brother and he was a _pain_ to treat."

"Okay," the younger woman agreed, a look of determination overtaking her face.

Watching on as Hannah approached and spoke with the boy, Poppy gave a little laugh when she saw the boy's annoyed expression turn into one of surprise. When the boy then proceeded to down the potion Hannah held out to him in a single gulp, Poppy grinned with pride. Looking around her hall at large then, Poppy thought, ' _Don't worry, Hogwarts. You'll be in capable hands when I leave._ '

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Want to see more of Freesia Parkinson? Check out my HP fanfiction: "For a Pound of Flesh".

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Please leave a kudo/comment to let me know what you think :)


End file.
